Hailing from the Philippines, singer Jay Kent is making waves after touring North America with GSoul because of songs like Texting and N-Quil, her latest single. After a five-year hiatus, she’s back to releasing new music blending pop and R&B, creating a sound that is richly textured, warm, and enveloping. Hugely influenced by jazz (the instruments, the rhythms, the vocal layering), N-Quil is another testament to Kent’s artistry and sultry voice.
“I can’t move,” Jay begins to sing. “All I took is one look at you / Couldn’t find a better view,” she continues, speaking of how striking and arresting it was to lay her eyes on someone. “Could be the night,” she concludes. Both the lyrics and the production of N-Quil are sensual, keeping it elegant while also exploring a sexier side to the artist’s interests. Speaking about it on The Luna Collective, Jay shared: “N-Quil is about liking someone but being careful not to take too much of them, similar to the actual medicine. It’s an antidote, but you have to be careful with it.”
So this song is steamy but not too much, just like her previous single, Texting. In the same interview, the Filipina singer said that it was “about avoiding confrontation in a relationship.” So it seems like Jay has a newfound interest in exploring human relationships where romance is involved. At just twenty-two years old, she’s paving her way into the industry, doing what she feels is right and adequate for her sound, which she avoids to categorise or label. “I used to do a lot of ballads and jazz with just the piano. I was challenged to try different tracks from various producers. I realised I didn't want a specific sound. I just wanted to be me, trying out different genres without having something specific in mind.”
